Could your small change be worth a fortune?

Could your small change be worth a fortune?

Could our small change be more valuable than we thought? Well collectors are paying higher prices for special edition coins and so it might be worth checking your change before handing it over!

This is perfect for anyone doing the ‘money challenge’ we posted earlier this year where you simply save a different amount of money each day. Before you cash in your money at the end of the year, check each coin to see if it’s worth more than its face value.

Many limited edition coins are now worth much more than face value.

For example, the Dateless 20p piece is now worth £100!

The Mirror has reported that when the Royal Mint redesigned the 20p piece in 2008 it decided to switch the date from the back of the coin to the front. However, an error at the Mint mismatched the old and new designs and between 50,000 and 200,000 coins were produced with no date on and put into circulation before the mistake was spotted. They now sell for up to £100 for a coin in mint condition.

London Olympic 50p coin – £3,000

The London Olympics were a massive event in England, so of course new coins were made to celebrate! There were many different kinds and some produced more than others. The designs include football, wheelchair rugby, wrestling and tennis which could be passed on for £3 or £4.

However there were only 600 aquatic coins released and have previously been sold on eBay for £3,000!

Guy Fawkes £2 coin – £16

The designs of the £2 coins are often being mixed up meaning there are lots of random designs kicking about. However when mistakes are made, they become more valuable. The Guy Fawkes coin was released in 2005 to commemorate the 400th anniversary of thegun powder plot. On some of the coins released into circulation the inscription read “Pemember, Pemember the Fifth of November instead of “Remember, Remember”. Those coins usually sell for around £16 on eBay.

The EC commemorative 50p coin – £20

In 1992 and 1993 the Mint issue a commemorative coin to celebrate the British presidency of the council of Europe. Just 109,000 coins were issued, compared to the usual 5-12million, making it collectable. The coins are no longer in circulation because the 50p piece was reduced in size in 1997, but if you have one in your penny jar at home it could be worth as much as £20.